326 pages : 23 cm

Includes bibliographical references (pages 287-313)

Includes indexes

"Originally submitted as a dissertation to the Vanderbilt University Graduate Department of Religion in December of 1983"--Preface

I. Introduction : The study of agriculture in ancient Israel ; Agriculture and the emergence of Israel -- II. The parameters of agricultural systems : Classifications of agriculture ; The parameters of agriculture ; Environment ; Agricultural technology ; Population ; Summary -- III. Geomorphology of Highland Canaan : Introduction ; The Negev Highlands ; The Judean Highlands ; The Samarian Highlands ; The Galilean Highlands ; The consequences of geomorphological diversity -- IV. Climate and climatic change : Climate ; Introduction ; Seasonality ; Air temperature and insolation ; Precipitation ; Water availability ; Climatic change ; Natural vegetation and soils ; Introduction ; Nature of the climax vegetation ; Causes of deforestation ; Age of deforestation ; Soil landscape ; Soil distribution and properties ; Soils and agriculture ; Natural vegetation and soils: Consequences for Highland settlement

VI. Population : Introduction ; Settlement pattern ; Community layout ; Individual structures and installations ; Zonal pattern of settlement ; Population landscape and agriculture -- VII. Agricultural objectives and strategies: Water conservation and control ; Introduction ; Terrace systems ; Irrigation ; Field techniques -- VIII. Agricultural objectives and strategies: Soil conservation and fertility maintenance : Introduction ; Fallowing and land-use intensity ; Green fallow ; Crop rotation ; Sabbatical-year-law ; Fertilization ; Terrace system ; The soil base in highland agriculture -- IX. Agricultural objectives and strategies: Risk spreading and the optimization of labor : Introduction ; Work in the fields ; Plowing and planting ; Harvesting ; Vine and tree crops ; The structure of work in the fields ; Land use ; Types of land use ; Land-use patterns ; Crop mix and yielding characteristics ; Agriculture and livestock husbandry ; Land-use pattern: Summary ; Social structure and institutions -- X. Conclusion: Subsistence challenges and the emergence of Israel

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